Apparatus for regulating the supply of steam to gas-producers.



c. H. TgALsTon & P. T. HOUSTON.

APPARATUS FOKBEGULATIHG THE SUPliLY 0P STEAM T0 GAS PRODUCERS.APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1913.

1,078,480.; w Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

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f" I .Z'iiveyzi'af'd 6&1'8'6626230763ha Z'&-z 266% Rmziva. Z mowibazUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CI-I A -RLES HENRY THGMAS ALSTON, OF COUNTY OF CHESTER, AN-D PEBCIVALTURNER HOUSTON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1 1, 1913.

Application filed June 28, 1913. Serial No. 776,414.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES HENRY THOMAS ALSION and PERCIVAL TURNERHOUSTON, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing,respectively, in Cheshire, England, and London, England, and whosepost-oflice addresses are, respectively, 34 Prussia road, Hoylake, inthe county of Cheshire, England, and 4 Lloyds avenue, in the city ofLondon, England, have jointly invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Regulating the Supply of Steam to Gas-Pro-(lucers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the apparatus described and claimed in ourBritish specification No. 3114 of 1911 and has for its objectimprovements therein whereby the apparatus compensates automatically forvariations of temperature of the air entering the draft tube.

In the apparatus described in our prior British specification No. 3114of February 7, 1911 any variation of temperature of the air entering thedraft tube made no difference to the temperature at the main coilcontrolling the steam valve, as more or less steam would be admittedtill the temperature arranged for had been attained. Variationtherefore, in the temperature of the incoming air would cause variationin the proportions of steam and air.

According to this invention, an auxiliary coil of pipe containing avolatile fluid is located in 'the mouth of the draft tube in front of orabove the steam jet or nozzle, so that it is exposed to the temperatureof the airas it enter-s the tube, the coil being connected to adiaphragm chamber the diaphragm of which opposes the movements of thediaphragm of the main thermostatic apparatus which controls the supplyof steam. Thus arise in temperature of the incoming air will producethrough the auxiliary coil and diaphragm chamber a corresponding openingof the steam valve, subject to the closing tendency derived from thepressure in the main coil. Theauxiliary'coil, by resisting the closingof the steam valve causes a higher tempera'tureto be reached at the maincoil when the temperature of the incoming air is higher, thusmaintaining the proportions of steam to air approximately constant.

An apparatus according to the invention 1s illustrated in theaccompanying drawing. a is the draft tube; 5 is the steam nozzle; 0 1Stl18 bal&11(36d steam valve With adjustable spr ng-control d; e is thesteam supply pipe; is the main coil which is connected by a pipe g tothe oil vessel h from which pipe 11 connects with the diaphragm chamera. l represents a multi lying system of levers interposed between tiediaphragm and the valve 0.

m is an auxiliary coil connected by a pipe n with an oil vessel 0 fromwhich another pipe 70 passes to a diaphragm chamber 1". Preferably, thediaphragm chambers 70 and r are arranged opposite each other and thediaphragms are united by a connecting piece 8 with which an arm Z of thelevers Z engages or is connected to transmit the motion of the uniteddiaphragms. Pressure gages t, a may be fitted t0 the pipes g or z and p.

'Oil is preferably used to transmit the pres sure created in the coilsto the diaphragins, a volatile fluid, such as methyl alcohol, beinglocated in the coils. It will thus be seen that the steam valve isgoverned by the c0mbined action of the two diaphragms, the pressurecreated in one coil opposing the pressure created in the other coil, sothat any variation of temperature of the air entering the draft tubeaffects the coil m and consequently varies the pressure in the diaphragmchamber 1" thereby rendering the apparatus very sensitive. For example,an increase in temperature of the coil f which is subject to the thermalinfluence of the steam discharged into the tube by the steam nozzle I)causes movement of the diaphragm for the chamber is in a direction toclose the steamsupply valve 0, while an increase in temperature of thecoil m which is subject to the thermal influence of the air entering thedraft tube will tend to move the diaphragm for the chamber 7 in anopposite direction or in a direction to open the steam supply valve.Conversely, a reduction in supply valve. The result is that the supplyof steam to the nozzle 1; is governed according to the temperature ofthe incoming air as well as the temperature of the steam in the drafttube, thus maintaining the proportion of steam to air substantiallyconstant.

Having thus described the nature of this invention and the best means weknow of carrying the same into practical efl'ect, we claim 1. Inapparatus for re lating the supply of steam to gas pro ucers, thecombination with a draft tube having an air inlet, a steam nozzlearranged to discharge steam into said tube, and a single valvecontrolling the supply of steam to said nozzle of a pair of thermostats,one operative to c ose said steam supply valve and influenced by thesteam dischar ed into said tube by the stea nozzle, an the otheroperative to open he steam suppl valve and influenced by b:hetemperature 0 said air entering said tu 2. In apparatus of the characterdescribed, the combination with a draft tube having an air inlet, asteam nozzle discharging into said tube, and a valve controlling thesupply of steam to said nozzle, of a pair of coils, one subjectto thethermal influence of the steam from said nozzle, and the other coilsubject to the thermal influence of the air entering said tube, saidcoils containing expansible fluids responsive to temperature variationsof said coils, and means for opening and closing the steam supply valvegoverned by the fluids for the respective coils acting is oppositionthereon.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a drafttube having an air inlet, a steam nozzle discharging into said tube, anda valve controlling the supply of steam to said nozzle, of a pair ofcoils arranged in said tube at opposite sides of the steam supplynozzle, said coils containing expansible fluids, a pair of diaphragmchambers connected to the respective coils, diaphragms in said chambersarranged in opposed relation, means rigidly connecting said diaphragms,and mechanism attached to the diaphragm connecting means and operativeto govern the steam supply valve.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES HENRY THOMAS ALSTON. PERGIVAL TURNER HOUSTON.

Witnesses J osnrn WILLARD, W. ISKERTEN.

